Celebrity chef Poh Ling Yeow has publicly defended Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, amid criticism of the Duchess's casting on Junior MasterChef Australia. In an interview with Pedestrian TV, Yeow said she holds the Duchess in higher regard after seeing how she handled the public reaction, and she dismissed talk of friction behind the scenes. Network 10 has said the Duchess will return to the franchise in 2027 to co-host the junior edition alongside Yeow.
Why it matters
The announcement turned a children's cooking show into a flashpoint for the wider debate about the Duchess and her relationship with the British press and public. Yeow's remarks are the first on-set response to that reaction, and they push back on the idea that the casting caused problems among the people making the programme.
Co-host describes a "will of steel"
According to the Daily Express, Yeow told Pedestrian TV that the Duchess has a "will of steel" and that she now has "even more admiration for her" after watching her deal with the fierce response to the announcement. Yeow also said some of the criticism had reached her as well, and she described it as manageable.
The Daily Express reports that Yeow's comments were framed as a response to rumours of tension on set, which she rejected.
The Guardian reported that the Duchess described her decision to take the role as "an easy yes." The Age reported that an email sent on impulse — described in its headline as a "press send and pray" message — was what landed her the MasterChef role. BBC and People both reported the co-hosting appointment.
The junior series is a spin-off of the long-running MasterChef Australia format, with children as contestants. The Duchess's role is as co-host rather than as a judge, according to the reporting.
Other royal stories in the same cycle
The same Daily Express live coverage carried several unrelated royal items.
It reported that Windsor Castle is described in reports as the most haunted of King Charles's residences, with more than 25 reported ghost sightings. Construction of the castle began in 1070, and it has housed monarchs since Henry I, according to the coverage.
The Express also reported that Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was seen driving near the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk on the same day Police Scotland said it had received "information" about the time he spent with Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell at Balmoral. A Police Scotland spokesperson said active inquiries are ongoing but at a very early stage, that they are evidence-led with the needs of victim survivors at their heart, and that it would be inappropriate to comment further. The Express said the inquiries relate to claims that women were trafficked to the royal estate, and that previously released US Department of Justice pictures appear to show Andrew and Epstein on a shooting trip at Balmoral.
Separately, the Express reported that Andrew was arrested in February on suspicion of misconduct in public office, following allegations that he shared sensitive information with Epstein while serving as a UK trade envoy.
The coverage also said the Metropolitan Police is under an investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct over its failure to pass a letter containing allegations against Thomas Markle Sr, the Duchess's father, to relevant overseas law enforcement agencies. It said authorities in the Philippines have opened an investigation into reputed child abuse images said to have been found at his former home.
On a different note, the Express reported that Prince William, through the Duchy of Cornwall, is developing Nansledan on the edge of Newquay in Cornwall. Construction began more than a decade ago, and the town is eventually expected to house 8,000 residents and include a high street. The coverage said Prime Minister Andy Burnham named high street regeneration a top priority in August.
The Express also reported that the Princess of Wales has been filmed on a neighbour's doorbell camera in 2022 taking her children trick-or-treating in London, holding a bag of sweets while they waited in costume.
Finally, the coverage said the Duchess wrote a message for the holiday catalogue of her brand As Ever, reflecting on discovery and new chapters. She launched the brand in 2025 and has released several collections since.
What to watch
Network 10 has not announced a transmission date for the 2027 junior series, and it remains to be seen whether the Duchess or Yeow address the reaction further as production gets under way.
